The Curse of the Brindled Cat
by Spatze
Summary: Warning! This contains things not appropriate for sensitive and young readers. After Homestar makes a mistake and gives him a cat figurine, Strong Bad finds himself crossing dimensions and facing some dark events. Are these real or nightmares?
1. Part 1

_Hi again, Spatze here. I've been writing this off and on when faced with writers block for The Fairy's Tail. Um, its a little dark and random. So be warned, there's blood, gore, character deaths, and little explanation. I just happened to finish it before my other story, so I'm putting it up here, and I hope people enjoy._

H*R - The Curse of the Brindled Cat

It was late, much to late for visitors. Strong Bad was the only one left awake from his siblings and The Cheat. He watched not-so-scary b movies on the scrambly tv through half slit eyes. Not that he didn't want to sleep, it was just that it wasn't coming yet. Usually chocolate syrup blood and blond women screaming helped with this.

"Hey Stwong Bad." Came a whispering voice behind him, making him jump. The toon wrestler turned sharply and looked up behind to the couch to the Homestar Runner, who gave a goofy half smile.

"What are you doing here, dorkwad?" He hoarsely hissed. "Its the middle of the night. Shouldn't you be sleeping, or harassing Marzipan?"

"Nah, I've done that alweady. I just wanted to dwop off youw gift." He held up a box for the smaller character, who just frowned. "Fow youw berwfday."

"Homestar it is not my birthday today, tommorow or within the next month. It was, however your girlfriend's birthday yesterday, which you forgot. Now go away, grandma's watching her soaps..."

"Here you go, Stwo-bwo." The athlete dropped the box next to him, completely ignoring what he was just said. "Happy Berwfday!"

Strong Bad just sighed and decided to follow suit and ignored him right back. Eventually he looked over his shoulder again and found Homestar gone. He shook his head before turning to the box. "Ok, let's see what ol' Ham-hock got his girlfriend before he mistook me for her... Again..."

Reaching over he tore open the top of the box and peered within. There, in the corrugated structure and folds of tissue paper, sat a small figurine. He pulled it out and looked it over boredly. "Its a cat."

Indeed it was a figure of a common housecat, outstretched playfully, but with nothing for it to play with. It seemed to be plated with gold, with semi detailed stripes carved into it. He smirked at it, despite its origins. "Hmph, it is kinda cute, lika Da' Cheat in a basket of fresh laundry." Gently he ran a gloved hand over its curved back, feeling the stripes through the leather. Then he sat it on top of the tv and sat back down on the couch.

Sleep eventually came over him and as he slept he forgot of the figure. The next days, months, and eventually a year went by before it was ever thought of again.

It was the night of Halloween, the brothers getting ready for fun they were going to have. Strong Sad was going to a poetry slam/ all one can eat buffet hosted by Marzipan and The King of Town. Strong Mad and The Cheat were going trick or treating. Strong Bad was going to follow his older brother and little buddy in suit to egg any house that didn't give them good stuff that he could steal later.

Just as they were all heading out Strong Bad stopped short. "One sec my on points. I forgot my chuckin--- I mean my staff of power." He ran downstairs for the lacross stick he was planning on catapulting the eggs from.

While looking for said sporting equipment he stopped and looked over to the golden cat. "Oh hey, kitty." He reached over and pet it again, then continued his search.

When he found it he wandered back towards the stairs, but stopped again. He decided to touch the gold figure one last time before he began his night of pranks. The stripes just felt so neat.

In a flash of light Strong Bad blinked and shook his head. When things came back into focus he found himself in lying in the middle of a road. He looked around slowly, confused at his new situation. "What the cra--Aaaaaaaahhhh!"

Unable to move he suddenly found himself staring down two high beams of a car. A giant car. There was an elongated blast of the horn and something pressed against his sides before everything blacked out.

With a groan Strong Bad slowly opened his eyes and flicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. His mouth was dry and his tongue tickled and scratched the top of his palate. He looked around hazily, seeing nothing but a sea of mussed blankets from his giant pillow perch. Slowly he stood and shakily found he could only crawl.

"Whoa, kitty, stay there!" Came a sweet female voice from above. Two large hands gently pressed him down. He looked up to see a human face staring down at him with pale eyes and long blonde hair. "You poor thing. stay down and rest." She looked over her shoulder. "Homestar, where's that water?"

Homestar? When did he get a non broom shaped girlfriend? Strong Bad looked the woman up and down. She was kinda pretty, with a generally small frame, except her dinosaur hips and apple bottom. It looked a little awkward for her. She brought up her knees and petted him across his back.

"Hey lady. That is unnecessary touching!" He growled at her. She pulled her hand back and smiled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You're probably still sore from almost getting ran over." She said with a sweet tone. That was when it hit him. She had called him 'kitty', she was bigger than him, she pet him. He sat up and looked around for a mirror.

Finally he spotted his reflection in the headboard. He stared at the shabby tabby cat staring back with emerald eyes. He had the basic shape of the dark parts of his mask over his eyes, and the crystal shape light coloured over his head. His coat was a deep rusty red with black stripes and cream coloured belly and head mark. He frowned. He was a common house cat.

What's worse, he was a house cat who looked like the unholy love child of feline roadkill and a raccoon.

"Marzipan, are you sure we can't give him milk?" Strong Bad turned quickly to the lispy voice, sure it was Homestar. Instead he saw a lean guy with platinum blond hair and just as pale skin. Only his eyes were a shockingly dark colour. He had a tumbler of water in one hand and a small glass of milk in the other. It was human, but definitely Homestar.

"If you want him to get sick in your bed. Most cats are lactose intolerant, you know." She stood, taking to tumbler and sighed. "You couldn't find a small contain to put this in?" She shrugged non the less and went back to the bed, holding out the thick plastic cup of water for Strong Bad.

Homestar shrugged, drinking the milk himself. "Nah, his head should fit just fine."

Strong Bad couldn't help glaring at him before he cautiously placed his face close to the cup and began to tilt it down to drink the needed liquid down. All he did instead was get his face, and the pillow he was on, all wet. What was it cats did to drink? Right, lap. He shook himself a little before he tried again, lapping up the water instead.

Homestar chuckled. "He's pretty clumsy and stupid for a cat." This earned him a glare from both cat and girl.

Strong Bad sneezed. "Says the king of the idiots..."

"He's not stupid, Homestar, he's just disoriented. Give him some time, patience, and maybe a little a love." Marzipan reached over and sweetly placed some fingers between his ears, then stroked them along his back.

He looked up in surprise at her. Even if this wasn't the Marzipan he was use to he never expected her to show him one aota of kindness. He felt a rumbling vibration forming deep within himself. Soon it became a straight out purr.

"Aww he likes me. I think we should keep him and call him King Kitty-Kitty." Marzipan crooned. That name, though, wouldn't do. Strong Bad would not come to the name King Kitty- anything.

"We are so not naming him that." Homestar snuffed. "He's not really king of anything." He sat down and reached over, getting a low growl from the cat. "I think we should call him Strong Bad. Cause he acts just like him."

"That's more like it." Strong Bad stated, finally allowing the dork's fingers to dance along the top of his ears. Beyond that though, he wasn't going to let Homestar touch him.

Marzipan frowned. "That isn't very respectful, Homestar, naming a stray after the dead." She pouted, looking away from the both of them.

Strong Bad stopped focusing on avoiding Homestar's touch and looked over to her with wide eyes. He was dead? How was that possible, he was right there. He looked back to Homestar and reached over to push him, putting his paws on his red shirted chest. "Wait, I'm not dead, I'm right here man! Listen to me! I'm Strong Bad!"

Homestar leaned back, taking the cat with him and petting his face. "Aww, but I think he really wants that name. Stro-bro wouldn't mind, I'm sure of it." He smiled a dopey smirk while he stared into his deep green eyes. "Or I could just call him that. Stro-bro. My felis-bromine... That's who you are, right?"

"No, Homestar." Marzipan got up and quickly scooped up the cat, making him release a startled mer sound. "We are not naming him after Strong Bad, and that's final. Until you agree with me King and I are going to sleep on the couch."

"Hey! What the crap? I almost got through to him, woman!" Strong Bad moaned as he was plucked off of Homestar. He struggled under her grip, twisting one way, then the other.

"But Marzi-man! Look at his face!" Homestar stood and pointed at the wiggling cat. "He's got the same colored eyes too!"

Marzipan stopped short, putting the cat down before she made a shuttery sigh. Strong Bad looked up and saw her face red with the tears she was holding back. He looked away again, his ears flattening. Even if it was Marzi he hated seeing girls cry.

She suddenly turned on Homestar, nearly stomping on Strong Bad's tail. He quickly backed off as her foot came down. "No, Homestar!" She suddenly cried out at him. "This isn't Strong Bad! He's not coming back, he's gone!"

With tears in her eyes she continued. "Strong Bad is not a cloud, he's not some bird. He not playing live from the local station. Its been a year, and he wasn't even really your friend to begin with. He used you, and otherwise he hated you. Its been a year since he went missing, and its been six months since they concluded he was dead. Get over it Homestar, he's not coming back."

"Shows what you know, lady..." Homestar stomped his foot too, frowning as he held back his own tears. "I saved him tonight." He motioned to the cat. "He has to be Strong Bad, cause he said so!"

"So you talk to cats now?" Marzipan took another shaky breath. "Ok, live in your delusions. If you need me, I mean really need me, you can call me over at Bubs' place..." She turned, going for the door. She slipped on her heavy hikers barefooted and grabbed her coat. Then she was gone.

Homestar slipped down into the door frame and hid his face against his knees, wrapping his arms around his head.

Strong Bad watched Homestar for a moment as the guy remained still and hidden within himself. Then the cat noticed another open door. He wandered over and looked within.

The room contained all his stuff. He stepped within cautiously, looking around at teen girl squad on the walls, his old computers, or what was left of them, and his fun machine and tv. He saw more papers on a bookshelf next to his couch. How Homestar got all of his things was beyond him, as he was last person he'd want to have his junk.

At first he was a bit angry to see all his things owned by the loser in the other room, but as he sat on the couch he thought about some of times he had fun with him. He sighed. "He seems to believe I am Strong Bad, so maybe, just maybe, Dorkster is the only one right now who can help me get back to me."

He looked back to the bookshelf before he jumped up and started knocking over papers. If there was one thing he could think that could confirm to Homestar he was right, it was a certain picture.

When he found the drawing of the one legged puppy who could do it on his own he pulled it back over to Homestar. The pale human was still hiding his face in his arms. "Hey, Homestar, I want to show you something."

There was no response, making him grumble a little before he thought on something else to do. Finally he rest the paper against his head and called out a loud maouwing moan. Homestar slowly looked over, hearing his new cat making a sound of pain. He looked surprise to see the tabby holding up the picture of lil' brudder and calling to him.

"Mauw, mer, meerow roawm mar." Strong Bad purposely tried to make his cat calls sound like he was saying, 'I can make it on my own'. Slowly he looked up over the paper, letting it fall on the ground between them.

"Oh, kitty..." Homestar picked him up and rested him on his lap. "I don't know what to do with myself. They think I'm goin cwazy... I'm starting to think you really are Strong Bad, and you've come back to tell us what happened to you a year ago."

"Yeah... Though I'm not sure what's going on either." Strong Bad conceded, rolling his front paws under himself and resting his head against the human's chest. "One moment I'm getting ready for egging your place, next I'm a cat."

"See it was Halloween," Homestar quietly continued, petting Strong Bad's medium length fur along his spine. "And I was helping ol' Marzi there with her party. That's when lots of people came over and we had a great time. Then later that night I was drawing on some stuff while she was cleaning up and Strong Sad called. I was curious, so I listened to the conversation and she said he hadn't seen you, cause she hadn't. I don't remember much else."

Strong Bad reached up and stretched his claws into Homestar's red shirt. He gave him a 'get on with it' look, as best as he could. Of course with the face of a cat all Homestar saw was a tired look.

"Anyways no one was really worried at first. Not even me. Then the next week when I wanted to borrow your computer box. You didn't come out and yell at me, so I figured it was ok." Strong Bad growled a low sound.

"So that's how you got all my stuff. Why didn't my brothers or the Cheat stop you? I swear sometimes..." He was stopped by a hand on his face, much to his displeasure. Fortunately his claws rolling into Homestar's stomach made the man stop the head grabbing and pick him up to readjust him.

"Ow... Your claws hurt. Stop it." He put him down beside him. Strong Bad frowned and jumped onto Homestar's shoulder, pawing his face.

"No, man, come on... I need to know what happened next." He nudged his pad deep into the human's cheek, making him make a funny face. Homestar smiled and laughed a little, wiping his eyes before scratching Strong Bad's ears with one hand.

"Oh, man Strong Bad. Are you trying to beat me up?" He laughed lightly before sighing. "Just like old times. I sure missed you." Slowly he stood, pulling Strong Bad's paws down on either side so he looked a little like a breathing fur stole. Strong Bad just snuffed, but for the moment let himself down with his belly resting against the back of his neck. If he wasn't a cat right now he'd be both enraged and embarrassed by this.

"Are you hungry, Strong-Cat?" Homestar asked as he wandered over to the kitchen, looking into those bright green eyes. "I bet you are, cause I sure am. Running in front of speeding cars is hard..."

Running? Strong Bad remembered the car's headlights, and Marzipan mentioned something about him nearly getting ran over. He wondered if that meant Homestar saved his life. Well his temporary feline life anyways. He was placed on the kitchen counter, where he sat and watched Homestar.

The athletic man smiled before sticking his head in the fridge. "Now what can I feed a cat?" He mused out loud.

"Meat, I hope. Or pudding. I wouldn't mind some pudding right now." Strong Bad mused with him, despite already well aware the dork didn't understand a word he was saying. "But none of that tofu crap."

"Hot dog!" Homestar pulled out a container of left over tofu dogs. They were obviously oven roasted, all shriveled with little burnt ends. Strong Bad licked his lips and moved out of Homestar's way as he got out two plates. He put a single wiener on one plate and placed it in front of the cat before he proceeded to get out a bun and heat up his own meat free sausage.

Strong Bad frowned, padding at the tube of cold meatlessness before him. "Hey, man that's cheap. I'm not eating this!" He growled low again.

"Hmm?" Homestar looked down at the dog. "Oh right, you're mouth is so tiny." He put down his hot dog and pulled out a knife. He cut it into small peices and placed it in front of him again. Then Homestar thought about it again. "And maybe I should make it a little warm for you..." He nuked it for a few seconds and again placed it before the cat.

Strong Bad was about to eat when he saw Homestar pull out a ketchup bottle and put some of the bright red condiment on his dinner. With a glare he moaned at the pale idiot. "Hey, I want some of that too. Give it over."

Homestar looked over and just stared at the cat for a moment. Then he looked down to the bottle. Then back to the cat. "What's your problem now, Strong Bad? You want some of this?"

The tabby rolled his eyes. "Duh." He watched as Homestar put some on his plate, then took the knife and mixed it all around.

"Ok, I hope you'll eat it now." He smiled seeing, with only a little reluctance, Strong Bad began to eat. He finished his own dinner before pulling out a bag of marshmallows. He stopped before popping on in his mouth. "I suppose you want one of these too, huh?"

Strong Bad gave him a quick unimpressed glance before he continued his counter top dinner. Homestar just shrugged and walked off towards the living room.

After he finished eating, Strong Bad looked up again. Only Homestar's head could be seen from his vantage point. "Hey, dorkwad, get your skinny white butt over here and help me down!" He called over to him, but the tv was pretty loud. He sighed and looked down at the floor. "Ok, I'm a cat. I can do this. Look's like I'm going to have to jumped!" He took a leap for the floor. He landing with only a bit of grace, his pads slipping slightly on the tile.

"Ok, I'm going to have to practice that..." He looked back up on the counter, half tempted to jump back up and try it again. Then with a shrug he decided against it and padded over to living room.

He stopped in the walkway a moment and looked up at the tv. Homestar was watching some sports thing. He looked over to the human and grinned his cattish grin. The remote was just sitting there beside him, on the arm rest. He prepped his back legs before leaping for couch, landing beside the remote. He had to scramble a little to get his back legs all the way, but once beside the clicker he pressed down on the channel up button.

"Hey!" Homestar looked over and caught the cat red handed, with his front paw hovering over the clicker. "I was watching that, Strong Bad."

"So?" He pushed it again, until he found something he wanted to watch. Then he laid down on the remote. "I want to watch this."

"Strong Bad... Seriously..." Homestar stopped himself. If this was really Strong Bad, as he thought he was, then of course he was going to be bossy and selfish. Beside, he pondered, the guy probably hadn't watched his 'soaps' for a year. "Well alright... Just this once."

He settled back and started to watch the tv again.


	2. Part 2

Over the next few days Strong Bad started to get use to being a cat. Homestar kept forgetting to buy him cat food, so he'd end up being fed whatever the athlete was going to eat. During the day Homestar seemed like the same silly headed dork he remembered so well, but during the nights was a different story.

On one such night Strong Bad slipped into the bedroom to look for Homestar. He had previously fallen asleep on a windowsill and didn't catch when the human got home. Apparently he had gotten home, left out some leftovers on the floor for the cat, then it got late so he went to bed. Strong Bad licked his lips of leftover dinner before he bounded up onto the bed.

Homestar lay in a tangle of blankets, curled up in a strange position. The tabby just rolled his eyes and padded over. "Man, what a loser. Hey Dorkerson, you'll get a cramp that way..."

"S... Strong Bad.... No..." The young man tossed suddenly, as though he was trying to get away. He almost knocked the cat over too.

"Watch it Homestar!" Strong Bad raised his claws, tempted to slash his current housemate awake. He stopped when he heard Homestar cry out.

"Strong Bad! Watch out!... " Homestar whimpered and curled in tighter. "I'll save... Hold on. Uhn, almost there... Almost..."

"Huh?" Strong Bad put the paw down and tilted his head at the sleeping human. He sounded panicked, and a little guilty somehow. He took a deep breath and walked over, reluctantly rubbing his face against Homestar's sweaty brow.

With a gasp Homestar woke up and looked wide eyed at the green orbs before him. "W-w-who?" Strong Bad began purring. "Strong Bad? I thought you wanted to sleep by the window... Were you worried about me?"

"No way, I just..." Strong Bad turned to go, but was swept closer to the warm human. "Ok, seriously, let go." He growled.

"I'm glad you're back, Strong Bad. Nothing around here's been the same since you went missing." Between the soft words and the gentle hugging Strong Bad stopped growling and returned to purring. "I guess I've never really believed you were gone for good. A lot happened since you disapeared..."

"Oh, like what?" The purring stopped again for a moment.

The athlete looked away as he he held the soft cat in his bare arms. He was silent for a moment, which was very unlike the Homestar he was suppose to be. Strong Bad perked a little, looking over to those half lidded eyes and furrowed eyebrow ridges. It almost seemed like Homestar was blaming himself for Strong Bad's disapearance, but that couldn't be right. Homestar never took the blame for anything.

"I should have been worried about him. Strong Bad rarely left home for too long. Between his email show and his video games... " Finally came the quiet voice, barely breaking the heavy silence. "Strong Bad..."

"Hey, how were you suppose to know I wasn't on some adventure for the fans?" Strong Bad tilted his head as he thought on it. "It's not just your fault no one was worried. If anything my brothers are more to blame than you." He couldn't believe he was even thinking it, but it was true. He lived with them, after all.

Finally Homestar slipped out of bed, leaving the feline wrestler behind. "Maybe Marzipan's right. You're not Strong Bad... You're just a cat with the same coloured eyes as him."

"No!" Strong Bad followed as the athletic young man walked out of the bedroom. He callled over, almost moaning for attention. "I am Strong Bad! I am! Come on, man, I proved it before."

Homestar stopped in the kitchen, grabbing a glass and pouring himself some water from the faucet. Strong Bad glared, looking around for another way to prove himself. He paced a moment, glancing over to make sure his only human hope was still there. Finally he walked over and slashed Homestar's ankle out of frustration.

"Ah~!" Homestar crumpled to the floor, dropping the glass in favor of grabbing his torn open ankle. The glass shattered spilling glass and water across the floor beside him. Strong bad looked wide eyed down at his paw, backing off at a bit of limp, holding his bloodied paw up. Then his eyes slowly rose to look into the black orbs looking back at him.

"Holy crap, Homestar, I'm... I'm sorry man..."

Homestar's eyes widened as he watched the cat turn and race towards the bedroom. Slowly the gears within the young man's head began to turn. Did he just hear his cat speak in Strong Bad's voice.

"Strong Bad?"

The tabby didn't look back, he had to get out of there. He didn't belong here, in this world. He didn't belong. The words spinned in his head as he squeezed out of the bedroom's open window and ran down the street. He didn't stop until he found his way to the Strong home.

What he found nearly stopped his tiny feline heart.

The house was there, but weeds surrouned it. The windows were lined with dust, even in the dark he could see the thick layer. But what really stopped him in his tracks was the police tape striped across the front door. He slowly stood in front of the abandoned house, once his home and felt his breathing labor. If he could he would have cried.

"W-what happened here?" For a long time there was silence. Then he heard the mailbox creaking under pressure. Slowly he turned his head and saw Homestar standing there. His one leg was quickly and sloppily bandaged, which he was obviously limping because. With ears flattened Strong Bad slunk over and sat in front of him.

"Strong Mad and Strong Sad don't live here anymore." Homestar knelt down and put his hand gently on the tabby's head. "Shortly after you disapeared Strong Sad tried to..." He looked like he was having a hard time saying it. "... Kill himself. The police stepped in and both your brother's ended up in a mental hospital."

"All this because I... Disapeared?" Strong Bad sighed, looking back over to the house. "What about The Cheat?"

"The Cheat moved in with Pom Pom, actually." Homestar gave him a half shrug.

"Wait, you can understand me now?" Strong Bad looked back with wide eyes. "Like actually hear what I'm saying... Or thinking out loud?"

"Yeah..." Homestar slowly stood and headed back towards his house. Strong Bad followed at a slightly brisk pace. "When you said sorry for hurting me I heard you. That's part of the reason why I came after you."

"How is it you hear me now, but now before?" The rusty coloured cat wondered outloud.

Homestar stopped a moment. "I don't know. Maybe 'cause you apologized for like the first time ever." He looked down to Strong Bad and then down to his leg. "You've hurt me plenty of times and never felt sorry. You've knocked me out I don't know how many times."

"Yeah... But you're kinda bigger than me now. You could have hurt me back worse then I ever could... In this form of course." Strong Bad twitched his tail in thought before turning back to him. "Then again, you could have hurt me back anytime before I was a cat.

"Right, right. But you're my friend. I never wanted to." Homestar began to limp again. "Let's get home, I still have to clean up that water and glass."

"Too bad I can't help..." Strong Bad snickered. "Having no imposable thumbs anymore and all."

"Its ok, you'll just get cut again."

"Huh?" Strong Bad stopped, finally noticing his neck was stinging a little. He glanced down and finally noticed the blood trail he was making, little droplets staining the grass and his cream coloured front. "Whoa... I... Suddenly don't feel so good..."

Homestar gently picked him up and he felt his feet stumbling beneath him. "Its ok, man. I got you."

He got the cat home as quickly as he limp would permit, cleaned and dressed the little cut, then put Strong Bad on the bed and redressed his own wound better. "Welp, night Strong Bad."

The tabby said nothing, quite exhausted.

The next morning the warm smell of cinnomon and sugar woke Strong Bad. He felt a bit better from last night, though the guilt of striking his host still twinged in the back of his head, not to mention his brother's predictiment. He slowly got up, stretching long before he stepped down and wandered into the kitchen.

Homestar munched on a slice of toast thick with cinnomon and sugar. His ear was against a phone and he nodded to the voice on the other end. When he saw the cat he smiled, lowering the mouth peice.

"Oh, hey Strong Bad. I made you up some toast here, with butter." Then he turned his attention to whoever he was talking. "No, I'm talking to my cat... So Marzi talked to you, huh? Well I'm not crazy..."

Strong Bad jumped up onto the counter and found the mentioned toast, still warm and cut into mouthsized bits. He glared at the phone before he began to eat. "Who's the loser your talking to?"

"Pom Pom. I can't go in for sports with his bum ankle. So I'm going to stay home and watch tv with you." He heard the voice over the phone, even if it was hard to tell if it was words or bubbles. "Well it hurts. I won't be on top of my game if... Oh, but..."

Homestar sighed in frustration. "Ok, Pom-dog. I'll be there in a few minutes..." He finally hung up and looked down to the tabby Strong Bad. "I guess I'll have to head in anyways." Then he seemed to get an idea. "Hey, wanna come?"

"Hmmm?" Strong Bad thought a moment, then nodded. "Sure, I have nothing better to do, except nap of course, but I can do that over there too."

They arrived at the feild where a large crowd was, both on the bleachers and on the feild itself. Strong Bad stopped short as he looked over, having not seen so many people since The Cheat made a successful pizza place. Homestar didn't stop until he reached the benches, where Pom Pom and Coach Z were waiting.

"Hey guys." Homestar chirped as he limped over. "See? I told you I was a little useless."

Pom Pom shrugged. "I just wanted you here, buddy. Even if you weren't playing. You've been spending a lot of time distant from the team." He motioned to the team, a lot of faces Strong Bad didn't reconize.

Coach Z noticed the cat following behind the young athlete. "When did you get derr pet, Hormstar?"

Pom Pom frowned. "Please tell me you didn't bring 'Strong Bad' with you..."

With an unimpressed look Homestar sweeped the tabby up and held him close. "I did. You have a problem with that?"

"Yes, actually I do." Came the curt reply in his somewhat heavy accent. Strong Bad frowned at the large athlete with blonde and red hair. He was expecting a bubbling sound to come out, not english. He snuffed.

"I liked you better when you were a fat balloon man..." He snuffed before hiding his face in Homestar's arm.

"What are you talking about Strong Bad?" Homestar quietly asked, getting strange looks from both his team mate and coach.

"So yer talkin to yer cat now?" Coach Z pale silver eyes looked over to Pom Pom before back to Homestar. "What did he say?"

"Nothing, he's a cat." Pom Pom instantly retorted, turning to the coach. "We have a game to win."

Homestar just frowned and sat on the bench, petting Strong Bad with swift strokes. "Doesn't anyone believe us?" He quietly asked.

"Hey, don't talk to me while you're in front of everyone. You'll look crazy man, and I don't want to be ta... Er you don't want them to take me from you, do you?" Strong Bad looked up as he got off and sat beside Homestar. "Come on man, this has to be our little secret."

"But Strong Bad," Homestar quietly lisped before he turned away. "I'm not crazy..."

"No, not this time." The cat said as he began to look at his front paw. He was slightly tempted to lick it, but that seemed unsanitary. "But someone's bound to lock you up if you keep talking to me like I'm my usual manly self. I'm a cat, normally cat's don't speak english. Heck The Cheat doesn't even speak 'da english."

Homestar went quiet, deciding Strong Bad was right, he didn't want to be locked away and he didn't want them to take his new cat away. Although he wondered what Strong Bad was talking about with The Cheat not speaking english. Sure the small guy didn't speak good english, as he often mumbled, but he still spoke the same language as everyone else did. He slowly began to passively watch the game, frowning at his friends before looking elsewhere boredly, and feeling a little unwell

Marzipan paced, phone in hand ringing. After Pom Pom reported Homestar acting even stranger with the cat, at the game non the less, she had to call someone. She never thought she'd talk to him again, but Strong Sad admittingly knew all sorts of things about everything.

Finally the phone picked up and a professional sounding voice replied. "Forest veiw mental hospital?"

"I'd like to speak to Sad, Strong?" She quickly stated to the receptionist.

"One moment." Came the reply. A few moments later she heard the almost comforting whiny tone of Strong Sad.

"This is Strong Sad... I wasn't expecting a call at all, so who is this?"

"Marzipan. Hi Strong Sad." She smiled despite herself. "How have you been."

"The doctor says I'm doing better." There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Strong Sad cleared his throat. "Is there something you called for?"

Marzipan sighed. "I've been having some problems, with Homestar... But before I get into that," She bit her lip before continuing. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

Meanwhile...

Pom Pom helped Homestar home, the limp still pretty bad in the evening as it was in the morning before the game. He had taken his pale friend out for dinner, hoping to get something out of him. Unfortunetly he got nothing to help him figure out why Homestar seemed to think the cat was dead Strong brother. Halfway through dinner he gave up.

They were quiet as they got up to the front door. Strong Bad sat in front of the door, glaring at two. Pom Pom glared back, looking half tempted to kick the cat.

"Are you going to be alright, Homestar?" He asked, turning his attention from the tabby to the young man. "Maybe you should let me see that foot. It might be infected."

"No... Its fine. Thanks Pom Pom... I'll see you on Wedsday. I'll be fine by then." Homestar muttered as he went and opened his door, letting in Strong Bad. "Besides we took first aid together, right?"

"I guess your right." Pom Pom sighed. "I'll call you tommorow, though, just in case. We're all worried about you, Homestar."

"Don't be. I'm fine." Came the reply before the pale man walked in and closed the door behind him. He walked over to kitchen and put the left over on the counter, open. "Here, Strong Bad. I'm turning in..."

Outside the door Pom Pom remained for a moment. He sighed. "Maybe if you actually cried for him, you'd be able to let him go..." Then he quietly left.

Strong Bad jumped onto the counter and began eating. "Mmm, good idea, man. You don't seem to be sleeping well."

Homestar closed the door behind him, before going over to the bed. Gently he undid the bandaging and looked down at the thick scratch. It was no longer bleeding, obviously, but the red scabs were surrounded by greenish puss under the skin. Homestar sighed, looking away for a second.

"Its all an illusion, isn't it?" He quietly questioned, tears filling his eyes. "That's not Strong Bad out there... I'm just making it all up like everyone thinks." He quickly shook his head, crying out in frustration and getting up. "No... Its Strong Bad, it has to be!" He walked out. "Strong Bad!"

The cat looked up with lasagna dangling from his whiskers. "What?" He stared at the man with wide emerald eyes.

"What's the absolute last think you remember?"

"Huh?" Strong Bad looked down again. "I told you already... Er I think I did." He gave it a thought. "I remember getting ready for Halloween, then suddenly I'm facing the headlights of some Cristine car. "

"Yeah..." Homestar muttered as he leaned against the counter, the rush from before quickly leaving him. "Hmm..."

Strong Bad waited a moment before going back to eating. He gave it a long thought. When he was finally done he began to unconsciously lick off his whiskers with his paw. "You know..." He began between licks. "Maybe your girlfriend and Strong Sad did this to me. It seems like a witchcrafty thing, doesn't it?"

"Only during halloween and only as a fun thing..."

"Yeah, but during halloween, man. You don't think that's more than a coinisedance?" Strong Bad pushed the left over carton away from him and smirked a cattish grin. "You never know, they might have wanted to get rid of me."

Homestar shook his head, not finding the humour in the idea. "..." He stood up and shook his head again, slower, going back to his room. Strong Bad jumped down, only to get the bedroom door closed on him. He frowned.

"Come on, man! Let me in." The tabby moaned, glaring at the wooden door. He was answered with silence. "I'll be incredibly annoying if you don't let me in!"

Suddenly an explosion rang out from the other room. In a burst of gold flames Strong Bad's fur raised and he desperately pawed at the door. "Homestar! Homestar we have to get out of the house!"

When he received no answer Strong Bad growled and began to throw his weight against the door, but to no avail. The flames kept closer and the house was beginning to fill with smoke. "This is serious, Homestar! Answer me~!"

With still no reply Strong Bad was quickly figuring something was horribly wrong. He looked around, but could barely see anything over his head, and very little around him. He was beginning to cough a little too. He hurried as fast as he could over to the door, and ended up knocking a lamp over. It hit the window, shattering it. That gave Strong Bad an idea.

Slipping through the broken pane, not caring if he cut himself on the way out, Strong Bad rushed around the house to the bedroom window. It was still open, just enough for him to squeeze through.

When he got into the bedroom the fire was creeping under the door. Homestar was laying in bed on his stomach, pale and sweating. The cat hurried over to his side and shook him. "Homestar? We have to get out of here. Your house is on fire, man!"

He only got a bit of a mumble for a reply. Strong Bad looked at him through the smoke, before touching his nose to the man's cheek. Homestar was quickly burning up with fever.

"How..." The cat shook his head, begining to feel dizzy from the smoke. He rammed his head into Homestar's neck. "This is a crappy time to get sick, man. Get up or you'll..." He snarled. "You're not dying, not on my watch!"

Something cracked above them. When Strong Bad looked up a rafter crashed through the ceiling and down on Homestar. He jumped back before quickly getting back on the bed. Homestar finally opened his dark eyes and looked over to the wide eyed cat. "St..." Was all he could manage before his chest heaved under the heavy block of burning wood, and he went limp again.

"Homestar?" Strong Bad padded acrossed the bed as quickly as he could, until he stepped in something moist. He lifted his front paw and looked down at the deep coloured liquid that stained the bed. Quivering Strong Bad shook his head. "No... Homestar..." The puddle of darkness spread across the wrinkled sheets.

With the house burning around him, and his only chance dying before him Strong Bad could only think of one thing to do. He cried out for help.


	3. Part 3

"Another candy coma, Strong Bad?" A whiny voice broke him out of his daze and he opened his eyes to the round, white, elephant footed toon he called his little brother, Strong Sad.

"Gah?" Strong Bad sat up with a start. "Strong Sad... Where am I?"

"Uh..." The gloomy one stopped cleaning up candy wrappers and looked over to his older, yet smaller brother. "You're in the basement, weirdo..."

"I am?" Strong Bad shook his head. "I guess it was all a bad dream... How long was I asleep?"

"Since last night. We found you on the floor in front of the tv..." Strong Sad sighed. "Did you bump your head, Strong Bad?"

"No... Actually I don't remember..." Strong Bad held up his husky head with a gloved hand. "What day is it?"

"November first."

"The day after Halloween...."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as Strong Sad gave his brother his best, 'have you been into my pills again?' look. Finally he gave up and just went on his way, upstairs, leaving Strong Bad alone.

The wrestler sighed, cracking his neck. "What was that? It had to have been a dream... A candy induced dream." He yawned, slowly going up the stairs to go find breakfast. He simply pushed the dream to the back of his mind and ignored it from there.

The day went pretty normal, but Strong Bad couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong, even if he was ignoring the dream he had. Finally evening set in and he settled downstairs with a bag of chippity chips and the tv blaring unnecessarily loud. He sighed at the sounds of screaming blonds on some blob related b movie.

Then he heard a cry that wasn't part of the movie. His eyes quickly scanned his surrounding, until he saw the golden figurine on the tv. The cat stood there, seeming to be pulling away from something disgusting, or frightening.

He reached over and took it up. "Weird... I could have sweared this was a cute kitty, not a freaked one..." He ran a glove across it slowly, then dropped it as he began to cough.

It felt as through smoke was filling his lungs. Actually it felt more like smoke was filling the room. Strong Bad tried to get out of there, hurrying to the door, but as he felt something touch the back of his neck he fell and the darkness surrounded him.

When he opened his eyes again he felt stiff all over. He slowly looked around at the grass behind Homestar's house, and he was leaning against a fence. The house was nothing more than charred remains. Strong Bad went to get up, his eyes wide at the memories of Homestar's dying eyes. He found, however, that he couldn't get up. Looking down he found he was human, and Homestar's pale human form was laying in his lap. He quickly pulled out from under him and reached over to check his pulse.

Nothing.

Squeezing his eyes shut he looked away from his form. "I... I'm sorry, Homestar..." He whispered.

"Strong Bad?" He looked up to see Marzipan, Pom Pom, and who he could only assume was his little brother, Strong Sad. The pale, white haired young man with them was thick under his dark clothing, but under that possibly bleached hair were dark green eyes, so dark they were almost black.

"Meow?" Strong Bad came up with as he didn't know whether or not he was just imagining he was human. Marzipan seemed to ignore him for a moment as she turned away and leaned against Strong Sad.

That's when Strong Bad noticed, she was dressed all in black, and her hair was down.

Pom Pom frowned. "You fell asleep outside Homestar's house again, hm? Come on, guys, I have a team to coach..."

"You're so... depressing sometimes, Strong Bad..." His brother muttered before he turned to follow. "Let's go make those chocolate soy cookies for the game, sweety..."

" Depressing? Sweety?" Strong Bad wrinkled his nose at the two as they all walked off. "Hey what about--?" He looked down to where Homestar was laying dead. Instead he saw a cat laying in the grass in the body's place.

He wandered over and gently touched its bluish silver and white fur. It was a sleek short hair with pale stripes and a darker silver star on his chest. Slowly, with a bit of a purring sound, the cat opened his eyes. Two dark pupils seems to take over most of the equally dark sapphire irises.

"Homestar? Why the crap are you the cat now?" He was answered with a bit of a shrug, followed by more purring. This made Strong Bad chuckle. "You are such a dork..."

He took up the cat by his armpits and held him out for a moment. He was stared at by the same doopy expressing he was use to. This earned the Homestar cat an unimpressed glare. "Ok, this isn't funny, Dr. Kidiot. You were dead, and now you're a cat. That and I think your girl is dating my baby brother."

The happy expression faded and Homestar growled a low sound. This didn't look very intimidating as he was still being suspended by his front arms, but Strong Bad got the idea. Just like he could understand everyone when he was a cat, Homestar could too. Finally he sighed and brought the cat close, supporting him under his long thin tail and equally thin back legs. "Ok, I might as well repay you with all the nice things you did before." He muttered as he scratched behind Homestar's ear. "At least until I figure out how to understand you."

He took his cat towards his house. Seeing as Strong Sad was no longer in some mental hospital, that meant things had changed. He stopped for only a second to make sure there wasn't any police tape. Of course there wasn't, so he stepped inside.

A small guy in a spotted jacket looked up from where he sat with a newspaper in his grip. He grinned a big toothy grin at the newcomers. "Hey!"

"The Cheat?" Strong Bad blinked as the guy stood up and walked over.

"Yeah," The Cheat muttered before looking around. "You were expecting someone else?" Then he peaked up. "Hey, you got a cat!"

"Huh, yeah..." Strong Bad petted Homestar as he turned his attention to the sleek fur-ball in his arms.

"Geez man, what are you thinking.... If Strong Mad sees it that C-A-T will be going in the ways of the dinosaurs."

Strong Bad chuckled. "Not this guy. He has to be the fastest creature I've ever... Er... Seen." He thought back on how Marzipan reacted to Homestar wanting to call him Strong Bad as a cat. "That's why he's Speed. Just speed and nothing else..." He shrugged nervously at the look Homestar gave him.

"Ok... So where'd you find him?" The Cheat quietly asked, making sure his other friend wasn't about to show up.

"Just outside Ho--" He stopped himself. "I mean the field."

The Cheat blinked then rolled his eyes. "So that's where you were last night. You fell asleep outside Homestar's old place again. Holy Crap, man... You're obsessed." He sighed, expecting his friend to get angry at him. "I mean, you did everything you could... You're a bloody hero, even if you couldn't save him."

Strong Bad frowned. "He died in a fire... Didn't he?"

"You said you didn't start it... And the police proved that... You were going to go egg his house, instead you rushed in there and pulled him out. You proved..." The Cheat wrapped his arms around himself, looking away. "You proved that you'd be here for any of us, if you were willing to risk your neck for someone you didn't really like in the first place. So stop acting so guilty."

Strong Bad looked away from his short friend. "I..."

The Cheat couldn't help but roll his eyes. "You could have saved him? No, man. There's no way you could have had the foresight that his house was going to burn down. Besides, its been nearly a year and... Just get over. I'm tired of comforting you for something that was never your fault, and since when were ever guilty about anything. Its been nearly a whole bloody year, Strong Bad!"

Homestar arched his back and growled at The Cheat. This only earned him a growl back as the little blond man grew increasingly agitated. "Shut it, Speed, or I'll gnaw your face off!" Then he turned to Strong Bad. "Keep that cat out of sights if you want to keep it. If Strong Mad gets his hands on it its' not my problem!"

With that he threw down the newspaper and stormed past Strong Bad out the door, muttering something about needing a drag.

"Great, now I'm apparently the obsessed one." Strong Bad muttered. "And I'm starting to believe it too... Especially since I'm waiting to hear your annoying voice in my head."

Homestar just tilted his head and chirped a happy sound.

With a sigh Strong Bad took the cat to his room. He was a little surprised his bed wasn't covered in junk, but it wasn't made, so he wasn't so surprised. It was definitely his room, with the posters and drawings of Teen Girl Squad. He harrumphed and flopped on the bed, dropping the cat next to him. "So... Homestar, make with the talking."

The silvery tabby smirked, looked around, then realized he was itchy. First he tried to reach behind his neck with his front paw, but when that didn't work he looked irritated. He made a low sound towards Strong Bad, as though asking what he was doing wrong. Strong Bad chuckled. "I'm not sure what you're trying to do, man... Maybe if you tell me..." That gave him a sudden idea.

"Scratch me, Homestar!" He instantly regretted that as Homestar seemed to have a quick, happy 'ok!' look on his face, then swiftly slapped his claws across the closest surface of the masked man's skin. That happened to be his neck.

He shot up, pressing a hand instantly to the four thin sliced across his windpipe. He glared down at Homestar, hoarsely hissing. "What the crap? Are you trying to kill me!"

Homestar backed himself into the wall the mattress was leaning against. Strong Bad got up and hurried for the bathroom. "Ugh!"

"Gweat genius... What's his pwobwem... He said 'scwatch me, Homestawr!" Homestar sat quickly, brushing his fur upwards against the wall and looked down at the little bits of red on his paw. He sighed as guilt washed over him. "I hope I wasn't twyin to kill him..."

For a long moment the nearly white cat sat, waiting for Strong Bad to return. When he didn't Homestar decided to go find him. If there was something else he was good at, besides being a terrific athlete, it was finding (and annoying) Strong Bad.

Strong Bad looked at his reflection as the stinging antiseptic bubbled in the cuts across his neck. He wasn't originally going to use it, but after remember Homestar was sick, he wasn't going to take any chances. He was glad he did, too, even if it hurt. Judging by the bubbles there was a lot of germs there to kill.

He sighed and took up a roll of bandages, wrapping it gently across his neck. Bandages were usually a good way to indicate to people not to touch somewhere. "Great... Tell a cat to scratch me and this is what I get."

"DINOSAUR!" Came a voice from the bathroom entrance, tearing Strong Bad from his reflection. Strong Mad, in all his burly tallness had a stuffed dinosaur in each hand, holding them out. "PLAY WITH ME!"

"Not right now, big guy... I'm tired." Strong Bad quietly said, turning back to the mirror. "Maybe later, after a nap."

"HOMESTAR?" Strong Mad questioned, raising an eyebrow at his little brother. "LITTLE DOG?"

"Huh?" The middle Strong looked confused to his older, but less intelligent brother. "What are you talking about?"

"DID YOU BRING HOMESTAR THE DOG?"

"I--"

Strong Mad nodded, putting down the dinosaurs on floor outside the bathroom and disapearing. He came back quickly with a piece of paper, a pencil, and Strong Bad's drawing desk. Strong Bad frowned. "I'm not sure you seem to realize this man, but isn't Homestar, you know... Dead?"

The older brother nodded, putting it all down in the hall and putting Strong Bad in front of it. "MAKE HOMESTAR'S GHOST CRY."

"So you don't have to." The Cheat quietly said as he came from the stairs. "That's what you usually do every two or so weeks since it happened. So are you going to draw another picture of Little Brudder to put on the guy's grave, or are you finally tired of that?"

"Look, little buddy, I'm actually more than a little confused right now." Strong Bad pushed away the paper. "I'm not feeling like myself, or like I belong here... What exactly happened?"

"What exactly happened?" The Cheat repeated before muttering under his breath. "Last year you were going to egg his house, so you went ahead. By the time Strong Mad and myself got there for trick or treating you were giving a statement to the police and Homestar was getting put in the back of an ambulance."

Strong Bad nodded slowly. Then he stretched, yawning. "I see... Look guys I'm really tired. I'm going to go downstairs and catch a few..." Both of the two looked at him with wide eyes. "...Z's?"

"Too soon, man..." The Cheat muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Strong Bad just gave them a weird look, but neither of them seemed to want to elaborate, so he left it, for now. He went downstairs and flopped on the couch, closing his eyes.

A few minutes later Homestar joined him, and crawled onto his chest. The long bodied cat was thin enough and light enough the sleepy Strong Bad wasn't that bothered by his presence.

A few day went by with very little happening. Strong Bad didn't mind, hanging out with a cat. He wasn't excepting much to occur for a while anyways, and he was beginning to find Homestar easier to deal with as a persistently annoying cat rather than a human. He felt a little bad when he found out Coach Z died of alcohol poisoning, after Homestar was killed by that fire, but didn't bother him too long.

It did, however bother Homestar. The cat stopped eating the day he found out, and since Strong Bad still hadn't figured out how to get him to talk, he didn't even bother trying to tell anything. He laid on the couch with his head on his front paws, mindlessly watching the tv, even when it wasn't turned on.

Strong Mad came down to find his younger brother, or The Cheat, when he spotted the cat laying there. He grinned a big grin and walked over, laying a heavy hand on the tabby's head. "KITTY!"

Strong Bad was upstairs, playing video games with The Cheat, when he heard his older brother's voice boom through the house. He looked over to his smaller friend with wide eyes. "Oh crap!"

"Strong Bad, I thought you made sure that cat was good and hidden!" The Cheat hissed as he stood up. "If its got any broken bones the vet bill comes out of your pocket."

Strong Bad wasn't listening as he raced down the stairs, hoping Homestar ran, or something. When he finally stopped down in the basement, where his brother sat, cat in his massive grip not moving. Whether that was because he was still bummed, or he wasn't breathing anymore the middle Strong didn't want to take any chance.

"Strong Mad! Put the cat down." He called over, easing himself closer. "Come on, little buddy... Its not a stuffed animal." Strong Mad looked over, clearly confused, then looked down to the tabby. He refused to let go, just squeezing the silvery cat tighter. Strong Bad cringed, as he could had heard some of the bones cracking.

"KITTY'S MINE!" Strong Mad proclaimed as he stood from the couch. "I FOUND HIM!"

"No, man," Strong Bad hissed, swiping at his brother. "He's m--" He suddenly found himself staring down at a bloody paw again, but it was enough to get his titan brother to let Homestar go. Strong Bad shook his head, finding himself a cat again, then looked up to his even bigger human brother. "Well crap..." The angry monster of a man was coming down at him.

"KITTY HURT ME!" He was about to be hit by a flying fist, when something else hit him in the chest, pushing him away.

"Don't just stand thewe, Stwo-Bwo!" Homestar wheezed as he quickly limped away from Strong Mad. "Come on!" Strong Bad wasn't going to argue, despite his incredible confusion. He followed the slightly beaten silver and white tabby upstairs and out an open window.

When they were finally outside, and hiding within the bushed they both breathed heavily. Strong Mad could be heard, stomping away as he called out for a kitty and a Strong Bad. When his thunderous disturbance faded into the distance Strong Bad looked over to Homestar.

"What the crap just happened?" Homestar carefully licked his slightly crooked foreleg before answering.

"You came to wrescue me... And in a golden light a cat came out of you. You tuwned and wan off while the cat you stayed. I'm glad you can understand me now... It was kinda lonely not able to talk to you."

Strong Bad gave him a confused look, before looking away. "Ok, that's weird. Are... Are you ok, man?"

"I'll be fine." Homestar chirped, purring a deep sound as he layed down. "I just need a little nap, yanno..."

"Well ok, Homestar. I guess I'll keep watch, or something." Strong Bad peeked his head out for a second, before returning back to the safety of the bush they were hiding in. He turned his attention back to the paler tabby, who already seemed deep asleep. With a sigh Strong Bad sat, curling his tail around himself. "What in the world is going on here..." He muttered to himself.

With a bit of reluctance he walked around Homestar and laid himself around him, resting his chin on his dark paws and sighing. He wasn't tired in any way, so he had plenty of time to think as he stared off at the dirt, grass and foliage of the bush.

When the brightness of day faded, and his eyes were filled with moonlight instead Strong Bad sat up, blinking. He was starting to get hungry, for one thing, and a little bored not coming up with any ideas as to why he was suddenly a cat again, like how he began this crazy adventure. He nudged Homestar's shoulder.

"Come on, man. No point in sleeping anymore." Homestar just mumbled a reply, making Strong Bad growl. "Come on, Dorkster, we can't just stay in this bush all night."

Finally the paler cat lifted his head and yawned. "Ok, Stwong Bad. I'm up." He tried to stretch, but quickly pulled back his forearm. "Sweet genius!" He yowled, realizing he was still in much pain.

Strong Bad frowned. "Ok, I'm going to try and get some food... Stay here and wait for me." He stepped out of the bush, but instantly bumped into another cat. He turned his attention to the new feline and was surprised at what he saw.

Before them growling a low sound, was a very feral looking tabby with white and slightly greenish grey stripes. His eyes were such a pale silver they nearly looked blind in appearance.

"Whoa!" Strong Bad backed off, "Nice kitty?"

"Jerst get out of my way!" The new cat muttered in a low threatening voice. Homestar stood up to the best of his abilities.

"Coach Z, is that you?" The silvery blue eyed cat asked slowly.

The feral cat stopped, only for a second. "Hamstray? Yer lookin a lorttle under da' weather der." He crouched down low before springing over Strong Bad and pinning down the injured cat.

"What's wwong, Coach Z?" Homestar meekly questioned as he tried to struggle against the strong, older looking cat.

Coach Z dug his claws in deep. "Its yer fault I'm a trash-cat. If you hadn't berned in der fire I would've been fern." With that he bit down on the pristine fur of Homestar's neck.

The bite didn't get far, though, as Strong Bad rammed himself into the coach gone cat. They tumbled a bit of ways, landing outside of the bush.

"What the crap are you doing, man?"

Coach Z snickered as he quickly gained the upper hand, getting Strong Bad on his back. "I wers goin ta eat Hamstray... But yer'll do."

With suddenly wide green eyes Strong Bad had to push the feral Z with all his might just to keep him from biting him. That didn't stop Coach Z from swiping his face and neck with claws caked with blood dirt and garbage.

"Homestar! Help me!"

Homestar perked up, frowning as he tried to hurry over. But he was scared, and hurt. He knew he wasn't going to be much against Coach Z's brutal behavior.

Finally a good slap threw the Strong tabby across the grass. He tumbled to one side and for a moment just laid there.

"Stwong Bad? Stwong Bad?"

Slowly he opened his eyes again and got up. He stung all over, but that wasn't going to stop him from stopping Coach Z. He crept low for a moment before pouncing the savage looking tabby. Then he bit down, closing his eyes.

Strong Bad opened his eyes again suddenly. His mouth tasted like clean underwear, emails, and tomato sauce. He quickly sat up and looked down at himself. Bare fleshy stomach and red boxing gloves for his hands. Not a hair in sight. He sighed and looked around, finding himself outside his house, in the grass. The moon shone down on him.

"Are these just crazy dreams?" Strong Bad quietly questioned no one in particular as he stood, cracking his neck. Something in the bushes rustled, startling him. "Who's there?"

Slowly Coach Z came out of bushes, stretching and making a yawning sound. "Oh hey der Strong Bad. I wersn't sleeping in yer bushes or noarting."

Strong Bad stared at the Coach, wide eyed. Given his last dream, or hallucination, or whatever it was, he was freaked.

"Get out of here, you old weirdo!" He suddenly snapped, cletching his gloves tightly. "Go away!"

"Fine, fine." Coach Z defended, holding up his hands and backing away. "I'm goin."

As soon as he was gone Strong Bad grabbed his head. It was pounding like an ice cream headache mixing with blinding light and not sleeping for forty eight hours. Stumbling to the door he let himself in. He leaned against the door as soon as it was closed and slid against it, breathing deeply.

"What the crap is goin on?" He covered his husky head in his arms and knees. Eventually he fell asleep there.


	4. Part 4

"What are you doing out here?" Strong Bad's ears were pierced by the high pitched voice of his youngest brother. He grumbled in response.

"That cannot be good for your neck."

"Hey, are you even listening to me?"

"Strong Bad? Are you ok?"

Finally he lifted he head and opened his eyes. He was relieved to see the vaguely soft serve shaped head and beady black eyes of Strong Sad. "I don't know man. Between these crazy dreams and waking up to your mug..." He rubbed under one of his eyes. "What day is it?"

"Its November fifth." Strong Sad pointed out as he stood again. "Uh, Strong Bad, I don't suppose you could go somewhere else. You're blocking the way out, and I have an appointment at the stick."

Strong Bad slowly stood as well, stepping out of the way. Then it hit him. "Wait, the fifth? That's not possible. What happened to the second, third and fourth?"

"What do you mean what happened? You been sleeping and playing video games for most of the last few days." His brother stopped as he opened the door. "Have you been into my medication?"

Maybe that was it, Strong Bad didn't reply. He just shook his head and went towards the kitchen. Maybe some food would help him focus.

As he wandered around, rummaging through the cupboards he heard a strange sound, like a cat's muffled cries. It took his a moment to pinpoint it, but when he did his attention turned to the fridge. Nervously he opened the door and peered inside. The little light bulb illuminated to reveal wilted vegetables and some leftovers from who knew when. He breathed out in relief, unable to hear the cat anymore.

Suddenly there was a squealing sound, followed by a thunderous crash. He turned towards the door and stumbled back at the sight. Before his eyes the whole house creaked, moaned, warped and shifted from the world he was use the other world he had been in, changing between human and cat.

Strong Sad rushed through the door, his hair soaked and mussed by rain, and his baggy clothing clinging to his thick, form. He rushed past Strong Bad towards the phone. He only turned to his brother after he quickly called someone. "There's been... An a-accident, Strong Bad."

Strong Bad turned his attention to his brother to give him a wide eyed look before he ran to the door. Outside he was instantly poured on by the chilling rain, and he could see his breath as he went. His front yard was stopped abruptly by a sidewalk and a street. His dark hair stuck to his forehead and feel into his eyes. But there was no evidence of an accident, no car to have caused the squealing, nothing out of place.

Then he spotted it, a large cat in the middle of the road, light grey with dark grey stripes. Its back legs looked almost completely dark grey. Slowly Strong Bad walked over to the next cat, picking it up slowly. As he looked at it, it slowly hit him, who it could be.

"Strong Sad?"

The cat opened his dark eyes, looking up sadly up to Strong Bad. Strong Bad shook his head, holding him away from his body.

"This isn't real. None of this is real. If you're like this, you're dead again. I mean not again, but...." He sighed sharply. "It makes no sense. You were just in the house, calling the police or something."

The cat made a pitiful crying mew at his currently human brother. From behind him he heard his brother's whiny tone. "Its not like anyone else would call help for me. Its better this way anyways."

Strong Bad turned as his brother walked right through him and into the cat. With ferocity in his green eyes he turned back to the cat. "No! No! No!" He screamed. "This isn't fair! It doesn't make sense! Why is this happening to me!"

The cat said nothing, getting dropped by Strong Bad. The green eyed human just backed away quickly. "Just stop this! I want to go back!" He grabbed his shoulders as the rain continued to chill him to the bone. Walking backward eventually lead to him slipping and falling on his butt. Strong Bad brought himself tightly together, hugging his knees. "I want to go back..."

"You want to go back whewe now?"

"Stwong Bad?"

"Hey!"

Strong Bad finally looked up with a start. He was curled up on the couch, in front of the tv. Tight black pants and red boxing gloves instantly came into view; he was a toon again. The tv was glitchy and staticy, but he could hear the announcer.

"You are watching the all pet show. On next, hour six of our All About Tabby Cats marathon."

Strong Bad shook his head and looked over his shoulder. Homestar was standing there, with a doopy look in his beady black eyes. He was carrying a little cardboard box in his invisible grip. As soon as he had the wrestleman's attention he blinked.

"Oh, wight, wight. Happy Berwfday Stwong Bad!" He held out the box, shaking it. Strong Bad looked startled at this. But he new full well what was going on, and what was in the box. Surprise quickly became anger, which quickly became a growling rage.

"Oh no you don't! I'm not going through that again!" He grabbed Homestar from the back of his shirt, and the box with his other hand. He quickly dragged the white toon up the stairs and to the front door. Then he pushed the door open wide, letting in a breeze of night air. "You can get out of my face, and take your stupid cursed presents with you!"

With that he swiftly punted the Homestar Runner out the door, then tossed the box after him. He smacked Homestar smack in the head, causing him to form little Strong Bad heads with cherub wings fluttering angerly around his now bumped head. "Oh, youw welcome Stwo-Bwo..." He dizzily muttered.

Strong Bad snorted and slammed the door shut. "Good riddance." He shook his head tiredly before shuffling back downstairs. The tv screamed out as some possibly blond hotty got sprayed with chocolate syrup blood. With a glitching sound the monstrous man with a chainsaw and fencing mask was replace by a ruddy coloured tabby putting it heavy paws on the camera. It mewed, seemingly at Strong Bad.

Strong Bad stared at the cat that kind of looked like him in cat for, tilting his head. Then with a small chuckle he slammed a gloved fist on the top of tv. The tv changed back to the b horror movie. He sat down.

"Popcorn?" His voice asked from the other end of the couch. He looked over to see his feline self peeping over a large bowl of yellow coloured popcorn.

"What the crap?" Strong Bad pulled back. His feline self scratched behind an ear calmly.

"This is what you get for taking some of your brother's meds, man." The cat simply pointed out as he took a piece of popcorn, crunching it down.

Strong Bad blinked at the hallucination. Then he looked away. This was so weird. Then he looked back.

"Strong Sad seriously needs to get his prescription changed." Both toon and cat stated with a smirk at the same time. Then they both laughed as Strong Bad grabbed as some buttery flavored snacks.

"Seriously." Human Strong Bad casually pointed out as he too grabbed popcorn. "Now move over, cat self, the good part's coming up." With that he jumped over the back of the couch.

With a shrug Strong Bad turned back to the tv. Sure this situation was more than a little unsettling, but his human shaped hallucination was right. The good part was just about to start.

_So there we have it... A quick finished story. I hope this was a decent adventure for you. - Spatze_


End file.
